A Convenient Marriage

A Convenient Marriage by Jeevani Charika is a story about second chances, lost love, but most of all, friendship. I found this book focused mostly on the power of family and societal influence, which impacted Chaya and Gimhana’s life decisions. Their friendship is the heart of the book, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop and change as the years passed.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoy stories about true friendship and love.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I was hoping to be able to connect with the characters and their love interests a bit more. Overall this book was a very interesting insight into the culture.

This book had some insights into its culture and the story between Chaya and Gimhana. I like the fact the book is about second chances and mostly importantly friendship!
Recommend this book to all

A convenient marriage need not be a failed one.

Two lonely strangers Chaya and Gimhana kept meeting each other and decided to get together, knowing the truth. Gim was gay, and Chaya had lost her love. Both were dictated by the terms of society and the land they came from. 7 years of marriage passed by without anyone knowing the truth. But the secret got out, and they had to grow up and find a plan B to deal with the aftermath of it. True love needed to be fought for.

My second book by author Jeevani Charika, I enjoyed the flow of the story. The journey of both the characters through time was filled with pathos, yet was honest and filled with hope.

Life is messy. We're all trying to get through it the best we can.

Who was I judge the decisions the two undertook when they got married to keep society and their loneliness at bay. They were best of friends who knew each other and were synchronized with their lives. I loved how the author portrayed them. There was a genuiness about her writing, with emotions choking me up just when I least expected. Some scenes resonated with me.

The only niggle that popped up was oft times I had to go back to chapter heading to get an idea of which year they were in. The to and fro of timelines was a bit confusing. But that was just a small thing. Gim and Chaya told their tales authentically, showing me facets of their life and the struggles they went through, including Chaya's anxiety issues. The credit goes to the author for taking me on this beautiful journey.

Some of the scenes I could recognize, the closeness of family in Sri Lanka and their culture, it was the same in mine too. I could understand the reasons given by the characters. Discrimination is felt even today, color of the skin and lifestyle still matter to some. I too went through it. So I understood.

Sometimes the story gets to you and there are emotions you cannot express. Same happened with me today. I just have to say I loved the story and the characters and way it all came together.

A Convenient Marriage ticks a lot of boxes to get me excited, diasporic leads of colour, LGBT subplot, family and friendship. Chaya is a hard working Sri Lankan scientist who, from a scholarship to Oxford, now works in London. Gimhana is also Sri Lankan, but he’s a lawyer. She’s got a broken heart, he’s deeply in the closet, so they marry. The story switches around from 1994 to 2013, a long period in their lives.

While the themes of friendship and second chances are great, I would say it does disappoint slightly in how Gimhana is treated. He’s closeted due to terrible, violent homophobia – including his family and Chaya’s - yet it’s equated with Chaya disappointing her family by dating a white guy. While this is still disapproved of, it’s massively different.

Still, this is a great story of love, second (and more!) chances and strong friendships. It’s a fun journey with them.

I was excited to read this book but also worried. I didn't want it to be the same old tropes about South Asian cultures and reinforce stereotypes of a poor brown girl being saved by the romantic white guy to suddenly live a more fulfilling life. I was so pleased that there wasn't any of that.

The story is about a Sri Lankan girl, Chaya, and a gay Sri Lankan boy, Gimhana, entering into a marriage of convenience.

There was nuance and authenticity in the characters and the story. I really enjoyed reading it so much. There isn't a lot of Queer South Asian representation in books, and again I really appreciated that like every other topic in this book it was dealt with care.

I would recommend this book to everyone. Chaya is certainly on my list of most adored characters.

Heartbreaking, interesting and beautifully written story of two young people torn between following their hearts, and not breaking the hearts of their family back home. The 2 MCs find each other and agree to enter into a convenient marriage, based on the friendship they have rather than the passionate love they've given up on. It's a truly beautiful relationship, but actually when it all goes wrong, I found myself hopeful that they would find what they wanted. Great characters, great writing, and interesting to read about a culture I didn't know much about.

It’s always interesting to read books that delve into cultures outside of our own, without getting too “heavy” for the reader. I enjoyed this book and without giving it away felt it came to a satisfying end! A little long winded in the middle first 1/4 but overall a nice read! Thank you so much for an advanced copy!

A Convenient Marriage by Jeevani Charika

Cultural expectations can play a huge part in how people live their lives...or don’t live their lives. Wanting to please family, even if it means ultimately hurting oneself, is so ingrained from birth that it often can harm the person who lives a lie or gives up the person they love. In this story Gimhana is hiding who he truly is and playing a part and Chaya is afraid to be with the person that probably could have made her whole and the person she was meant to be.

Gimhana and Chaya think they have the perfect solution that will allow them friendship, someone to come home to and also provide stability and normalcy. What is the solution? Why, get married...though just a marriage of convenience. By marrying “suitable” partners they will also manage to get their families off their backs and stop all of the nagging they hear about getting married. And, though again living a lie, though a different one, they do seem to be getting along okay...at least for awhile.

This book had me hoping that Gim and Chaya would eventually find a way to live with the people that truly made them happy. They went through so much for so many years that I was sure they deserved some true happiness. Their lives do eventually turn out okay but they have some tough times before they achieve the HEA they deserve.

Well written and thought provoking I found myself wondering how difficult it would be to give up so much to please parents. Having lived in countries where homosexuality is still a crime I felt for Gimhana in ways I might not otherwise have. I know people that have given up the “love of their life” because of parental pressure and remembering them also came to mind as I read. So, definitely a book that made me think and care and hope the two would find peace after so many years of just existing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

🌺Thoughtful story of family obligation vs. being true to yourself👍👍
4.5🌟stars
💔💞I truly enjoyed this thought-provoking, romantic tale. This story has such sweetness, sadness, desperation and realism. I found the main characters somewhat tragic but thankfully redeemed at the end by the power of love. The challenges both Gimhana and Chaya face as they lean on each other for support while keeping their deepest secrets and desires from family and work colleagues: they may be enmeshed in their Sri Lankan upbringing but are issues that are more universal as well.

👥Author Jeevani Charika's main characters are beset by both overt and subtle discrimination, Chaya in her work environment where her quest for a professorship, no matter how brilliantly she tries, seems always sabotaged, and Gimhana where his career advancement and worth as a good son are dependent on "fitting in" to the traditional heterosexual mold. Their marriage pact may be doomed to eventual failure, but their motivation is understandable. Their solid friendship, through everything, was comforting and inspiring. And what a lovely conclusion, full of hope for their futures (sigh!😌).

😊I am so glad the author kept with this story and finally published it. For some readers Chaya and Gimhana's dilemma may seem a bit dated, but I believe that, sadly, the issues they faced still ring true.

Thanks to publishers Hera Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

An emotional, intelligent and thought-provoking read about duty, desire, courage and letting go, A Convenient Marriage is a bold and brilliant tale from Jeevani Charika that will make readers laugh, cry and think.

Chaya is a woman caught between two cultures. Living in the UK, but still very close to her Sri Lankan parents who are very traditional and conventional, Chaya is well aware that her parents’ dearest dream is to see her walking down the aisle towards a Sri Lankan husband they would approve of for a lifetime of marital bliss. Chaya does not want to disappoint her parents, yet being a good Sri Lankan daughter has meant that she has had to reject the only man she has ever loved: Noah. Chaya is not in the right place for a relationship nor does she think she can ever meet anyone who can match up to Noah, but could a marriage of convenience to a ‘suitable’ husband be just the ticket to get her interfering but well-meaning parents off her case?

Gimhana is in a very similar boat. His family might live half a world away, but they still keep pressuring him into getting married. So far, Gimhana has managed to avoid getting hitched to the plethora of women his parents send his way and he intends to keep it that way. But coming up with reasons why he does not want to get married is getting harder and harder – and Gimhana knows that he cannot possibly tell his parents the truth that the reason why he has not proposed to any of the women they suggested is because he is gay.
When Chaya and Gimhana meet, they realise that they are in a very similar situation and that a marriage of convenience could be the answer to all of their prayers. Together, Chaya and Gimhana can build a good life for themselves where they have companionship, stability and friendship. Everything seems to be going swimmingly for the two of them – until the unthinkable happens and both Chaya and Gimhana find themselves falling in love outside of their marriage.

What will Chaya and Gimhana do now? Will they risk everything they have built together? Or will they follow their heart and grasp this unexpected chance of happiness?

A Convenient Marriage is a wonderful tale about being true to yourself, finding the courage to go after your heart’s desire and taking a leap of faith. Written with great understanding and sensitivity, A Convenient Marriage effortlessly juggles light and shade with flair and style and it’s a book that will have readers giggling and wiping away a tear or two in equal measures.

A fantastic read that will have me seeking out more titles by Jeevani Charika, A Convenient Marriage is not to be missed.

A wonderfully written tale with a beautifully descriptive narrative that tackles a variety of serious issues.

This is the story of two Sir Lankan's who chose to enter into a partnership for the sake of appearances but develop a true friendship.

I really enjoyed learning each characters back story and more about Sir Lankan laws and traditions, I had no idea that it was illegal to be a homosexual in Sir Lanka in this day and age I also felt that it tackled sensitive issues such as mental health and depression really well.

"Once, she had been a part of it, fitting easily into the flow, but ever since Noah, she had felt like she was something other. She could never fully relax, in case she said something that gave her away. Where once she had been open and free, now she had to make a conscious effort to blend in."

I also loved that it was set just a little bit in the past so that it brought some nostalgia, like the mention of Gimhana having a lovefilm subscription!

I do love the way Jeevani Charika writes. There is such an open honesty in her characters. I so enjoyed her previous book, This Stolen Life, and when I was offered the chance to join the blog tour for her next book, A Convenient Marriage, I didn’t hesitate.

There are some similarities between the books: the most obvious one is that the cultural background of the main characters, Chaya and Gimhana, is Sri Lankan; other not so obvious parallels are the struggles with identity and to fit in with the stringent cultural rules that their families still follow.

Regardless of how far we think we’ve come, and how forward-thinking and open-minded we think we are, we can never assume that everyone thinks and feels the same. Age-old cultures and traditions still take centre stage in many countries, and for many families who still maintain these, no matter which country they may find themselves living in.

For Chaya, her role has always been clear: she’s the ‘good sister’, the ‘clever one’, while her sister has been the ‘pretty one’. The pressure to be successful has always been immense, and paired with the additional expectation of needing to get married to an appropriate partner, she feels adrift – she already met her soulmate and he’s someone she knows her family would never accept. Gimhana’s parents have been trying to introduce him to the ‘perfect’ wife for almost as long as he can remember. As a Sri Lankan male, he knows that he’s expected to have a profitable, thriving career and a happy marriage with a satisfactory number of offspring. But there’s one problem: Gimhana isn’t interested in women – an unacceptable concept for his family.

In her gentle, subtle way, Ms Charika writes with a clarity that displays her knowledge of the subjects she’s chosen to cover: the Sri Lankan culture, mental health issues, sexuality and sexual preference, gender roles – especially in the workplace – and how family values can be manipulated to suit the requirements of those in power.

This is a touching, sometimes difficult, 4-star read.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy for review!

I usually don't like more contemporary stories especially ones that focus heavily on romance but this one was an exception.

To get the rating out of the way: it is 4 stars. This has more to do with the fact the marriage that sounds like the main premise of the book only happens at the midpoint. Closer to the 57% mark, that is a loooong way to go just to get to the promised part of the book. Another issue is that we see one POV a lot more than the other, and we get more flashbacks in one POV than the other.

It feels like there could have been an extra 100 pages just about their marriage so we got to see more of that (and also I might be a bit biased because I loved both MCs and I wanted more of both of them).

I felt that all reactions and actions in the book were realistic, and the treatment of mental illness in the book was done very well. I just really wish we saw more of the marriage because just seeing them be really good friends was so much fun. I loved the ending too.

If you want a contemporary that deals with hard hitting themes like mental illness (depression & anxiety mostly) and what it is like to be gay in a society that doesn't accept it, I'd get this! Even if you don't usually like contemporaries, this one did a good enough job keeping me invested all the way. There never felt like there were any bits that lost me, which is usually the case with books like this.

I really liked this book, I liked both main characters and thought there was a lot of romance within the book as well as two people just trying to make a life the best way they could. Thank you for having me on the blog tour

I knew I was in for a special ride when I picked up this book and dived in and I certainly wasn't wrong in the slightest. Jeevani has a writing style that lights up the page and vividly pulls you head first into any narrative and I was mesmerised by each and every word.

The characters in this story came alive as this gorgeous story unfurled. Chaya was a beautiful soul who stole the show in my eyes. Her life has faced many tough trials and tribulations but her penchant for doing good in the eyes of her parents and community have led to many dark moments of anxiety and despair. Watching her embark on a slow journey back to true happiness and love was both poignant and inspiring.

Gimhana's story arc is a sad tale that has been played out far too many times over the years where people are not free to be true to who they really are and live a life of truth, honesty and happiness. My heart went out to his plight instantly and I was desperately wishing that all important happy ending for his journey.

A Convenient Marriage is a beautiful and poignant tale of struggling to be who you really are. It will warm your heart and move you beyond all measure and it's a story not to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. There’s not one thing I’d change. It’s a very chick lit story but fab!! Charika has created characters that make you fall in love with; and that you root for throughout the story. This book addresses such relevant issues that we face in societies today!! Very well written! No spoilers but I would highly recommend this as an example that love conquers all!!

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this book. I started reading it one day and couldn't put it down. It's such a gorgeous story! I loved Chaya and Gimhana and their separate struggles. As well as them together as a couple. This author sensitively deals with Chaya's struggles with her mental health, and not making it the sole focus of who Chaya is. Not many books cover a character/heroine with mental health issues, especially who has a rich life.

This book was a strong and extremely well done novel. While I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a romance in the classic sense I became extremely invested in the characters and was rooting for them throughout the novel. The author does a great job of showing the Sri Lankan culture and how it can repress or affect those who don’t fit in.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

a fake marriage between a Sri Lankan woman and Sri Lankan gay man, who are best friends? Yes Please

The story swing from past to present, from 1994 to 2005, to 2012 and 2013. Chaya is in the 1994 a young Sri Lankan woman, with a scholarship for Oxford, away from her family and culture for the first time. Gimhana is from Sri Lanka too, a closeted gay man, afraid to come out, not only because he fears his family's disappointment, but because he was bullied and hurt. Years later Chaya and Gimhana encounter each other, both pressured by their family to marry (because having 30 years old it's considered being old in that community, above all for a woman).Slowly they become friends, after seeing each other at a party in Sri Lanka, in London, where both of them are workaholic and where Gimhana struggle to advance in a law firm with "traditional" values (seeing withouth a girlfriends was frown upon) and where Chaya struggle too, with her anxiety and panic attacks. They build a strong friendship, helping and understanding each other and decide to get married to free themselves from their families ' desires. They make a deal. No affair, No children. Discretion. Be there for each other. Stop drinking for Gimhuna, seeking help for Chaya.

Emotional and thought provoking read.

5☆ A Compelling and Powerful Romance

A compelling and heartfelt romance and was poignant and thought provoking.

I don't want to go into any detail about the plot as I think this is a Story you need to discover for yourself, the blurb is very intriguing and gives just enough away.

The story is told by the two main characters Chaya and Gimhana and set in two time periods past and present. I really enjoyed how this book was written, both Chaya and Gimhana have such emotional and powerful stories to tell that having their past stories only enriched the journey leading up to the future. It flowed seamlessly.

There are some sensitive subjects which some readers might find difficult to read, but Charika Has written them with the right amount of sensitivity to still make a powerful impact.

The Characters are Endearing, strong and very relatable and real.
The plot is powerful, poignant, current, and opened my eyes to the pressure of arranged marriage, family demands and traditions and hiding your sexual identity to fit in and be accepted.

A Convenient Marriage is a highly Compelling, Powerful and Poignant Read that I couldn't put down!
It's a story of fitting in, finding oneself, trying to please everyone, racism, discovering your sexuality, the trials and tribulations of culture, traditions, family, and Finding love where you least expect it.
A Convenient Marriage is a Story that touched my heart and I highly recommend.

Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.


Thank you to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Tours and Hera books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I took a relatively long time reading this book, but I liked it very much. I knew nothing about the Sri Lankan culture and I enjoyed learning about it a little. I felt sad for the two main protagonist having family and tradition dictate and initially destroy their lives, but the road to the end conclusion was enjoyable. I will certainly remember the author's name and will try her other books.

Wow! What can I say about this book? I was utterly taken in from the initial couple of chapters and it just got better and better. Having always enjoyed reading fiction and none-fiction about different cultures I had very high hopes and was not disappointed.
This book is the modern-day fairytale and completely realistic and believable. I don't want to give too much away but like the classic fairytale, there is a happy ending.
True love never dies and this story is the classic example of this. You can easily fall in love and get swept up by the characters and their lives. You can relate to them and grow with them.
If you enjoy a good story and love a happy ending then this is for you. It's not the conventional love story but we all know what happens in that book. This story will warm your heart and pull at your emotional strings. It's definitely worth a read.

Rating: 5 Stars

We’ve all been told we should look beyond appearance and physical attraction when considering a long-term partner. It’s universally understood that it’s the common values and companionship that hold strong once physical traits begin to fade with time. In her intriguing new read, Charika uses this idea to illustrate whether deciding on a partner based on the qualities of a friendship, could lead to a successful marriage.

Though her characters, Gimhana and Chaya, are both of Sri Lankan descent, their fear of disappointing their traditional parents with their romantic preferences is relatable cross-culturally. Gim who is a closeted homosexual male and Chaya who can’t seem to overcome her past relationship with a Caucasian, put on a facade of loving each other to please their parents. But, is it a facade? Is there anything missing from their marriage beyond physical attraction – which presumably isn’t important anyway? Can they be life partners and satisfy each other’s emotional needs?

A Convenient Marriage had me contemplating some very deep ideas. I wondered what love is if it’s not physical attraction. In an age where people don’t necessarily rely on a partner for stability, it opened my eyes to differences in the intent of marriage.

In the end, I concluded that love and marriage can take any shape, but it needs to be based on a mutual understanding of the relationship in order for it to survive and that understanding can change over time. This book forced me to think about relationships in an unconventional way and really appreciate our differences in expressing love.

This was everything you want to see on a book now a days...even though it keeps you on the edge of your seat because you never know what is going to happen but man it was good.

Chaya has a very traditional Sri Lankan family and even though she has left their home and country to study aboard, they still expect her to settle down into marriage with a Sri Lankan boy. But what they don't know is that she turned away her one true love, Noah because she doesn't want to disappoint them. At the end she will do whatever it is that makes them happen even if her heart is broken forever.

Gimhana has been hiding his sexuality from his family since ever. It's not that hard because he has been living half a world away from them. But now it's getting harder to find an excuse of not getting married, as his parents expect him to marry a sri Lankan girl as it is tradition. He is torn of what to do, until an opportunity presents itself.

When Chaya and Gimhana meet, they both find the perfect solution to their problems. A marriage of convenience. He can hid his sexuality, she can live the life she has been living until now, married to her job and keep her heart away as it will never love anyone besides Noah. So, they both go on with their plan. And things go so well but everything comes crumbling down.

Loved learning about Sri Lankan culture, and every time they were eating I wanted to be there eating with them too lol. Chaya also suffers from anxiety and it was not sugar coated in this book, Chaya had full on anxiety attacks and the world needs to know more about them and more about mental health. Thumbs up Jeevani Charika. Gimhana was everything you wanted in a friend, he was always there for Chaya and the was the perfect "husband", loved his sexuality was done in this book and how is relationships was shown, Another thumbs up.

Ah, I really loved reading this book, I was rooting for Chaya and for Gimhana even when their "marriage" was all over the place. Each of their personality will steal your heart and you will fall for both of them.

Totally recommend...5 out of 5 stars.

I got an ARC from NetGalley.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

I don't usually read or particularly enjoy "romance" novels a lot as I want something more going on. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this romance that does things a little different. First of all both protagonists are from Sri Lanka and live in the UK, pursuing high profile careers. She's trying to become a professor of biochemistry and he's a high profile lawyer in a conservative firm. They're both lonely and both their parents are pressuring them to marry. She's heartbroken and suffers from extreme panic attacks, he's a closeted gay without any friends. A convenient marriage might just solve most of their problems...

I liked the setting, Sri Lanka, Oxford, and London and I grew to like both main characters. What I enjoyed most of all was the mixture of postcolonial and queer issues mixed together with a certain level of drama expected from the romance genre. It was entertaining, light, and I rooted for a happy end for both of them.

4 Stars